ZnO Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Ecotoxicological Studies

Abstract

The potential ecotoxicity of nanosized zinc oxide (ZnO), synthesized by the polyol process, was investigated using common Anabaena flos-aquae cyanobacteria and Euglena gracilis euglenoid microalgae. The photosynthetic activities of these microorganisms, after addition of ZnO nanoparticles, varied with the presence of protective agents such as tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) and polyoxyethylene stearyl ether (Brij-76) used to control particle size and shape during the synthesis. In the case of Anabaena flos-aquae, the photosynthetic activity, after addition of ZnO, ZnO-TOPO, and ZnO-Brij-76, decreased progressively due to stress induced by the presence of the nanoparticles in the culture medium. After contact with ZnO-TOPO nanoparticles, this decrease was followed by cell death. On the other hand, after 10 days, a progressive increase of the photosynthetic activity was observed after contact with ZnO and ZnO-Brij-76 nanoparticles. In the case of Euglena gracilis, cell death was observed after contact with all nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses of ultrathin sections of microorganisms showed that polysaccharides produced by Anabaena flos-aquae avoid particle internalization after contact with ZnO and ZnO-Brij-76 nanoparticles. On the other hand, nanoparticle internalization was observed after contact with all nanoparticles in the presence of Euglena gracilis and also with ZnO-TOPO nanoparticles after contact with Anabaena flos-aquae.